Cablo dalbont



` C. DALBONI, A. GASPERETTI AND R.ALBANESE.

LocKe APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27.1919.

I 1,325,510. Patented Dec. 23,1919.

MINI 'IEII N Cm aww Annibale ASPs/v5 Trl R? v te mcouw Rmmondo Albanese.

Msi/M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

*CARLO DALBONI, ANNIBALE GASPERETTI, AND RAIMONDO ALBANESE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCK.

Application filed March 27, 1919.

of the King of Italy, all residing in New.

Yor I, in the county oi' New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks, of which the following is a specification.

IVe have invented an improvement in locks; particularly a lock of the type which requires a combination of movements to be given to certain parts in order to un'fasten the lock; the combination being susceptible of change according to .circumstances of use. f'

in object of ourl invention is to provide a lock comprising a latch or bolt upon which are mounted the parts which must be actuated in the proper manner and sequence before the latch or bolt can be withdrawn from effective position; such parts being capable of quick and easy manipulation by any one familiar with the lock, 'for the purpose of operating or setting the same.

Other objects and advantages ot our invention will be described in the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings; and the novel features of our lock defined in the appended claims. This'disclosure, however, is explanatory only, and we may resort to constructions different from what is actually shown herein, but within the scope and spirit of our invention, to the full extent indicated by the general meanings ot the terms in which the claims are expressed; and by variations in the phrasing thereof.

On the drawings iFigure 1 is a front elevation of our com` plete lock;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the bolt or latch removed;

Fig. 3 shows in front elevation, partly in section, the latch or bolt detached;

Fig. #L is abottom plan of the bolt, partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the knob and elements associated therewith for actuating the lock;

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the bolt, in part;

Fig. 7 is a side view oi' a detail;

Fig. 8 is a section on the lino 8 8 ot Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line' 9-9 of Fig'. 31].

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Deo. 23, 1919.

Serial No. 285,446.

iFig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 11 is a view showing some of the parts of our lock in the position they must be caused to assume to allow the bolt to be moved back.

The same numerals identity the same parts throughout.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a support or base-plate upon which is slidably mounted a latch or bolt 2. This bolt moves upon projections 3 which are secured to the plate 1, and which engage the lower edge of the bolt o r latch; while adjacent the top edge of this bolt we aix to the plate or support, a strip e which is undercut so that one edge ot same will overlap andengage a rib 5 on the bolt 2. The projections 3 and strip e thus constitute a guideway in which the bolt 2 can move back and forth.

In practice, the support 1 and all the otherparts of the lock mounted thereon will be aliixed to a door, for example, m such a manner that the parts presentedy in Fig. 1.

door is closed, it will move away from theobserver; and the face of the bolt opposite thatpresented to the observer in Fig. 1, will be beveled as indicated in Figs. e and 6; to enable the lock to snap shut when the door is closed and one does not pause to manipulate the lock in order to make it engage the striker-plate above mentioned.

Then the bolt or latch 2 is in engagement with the striker-plate, it can be withdrawn from eective position to enable the door to be opened, by means of a shaft 6 carrying a member or rigid arm 7 adapted to make Contact with an element S carried upon the bolt. 2. This element 8 is movable and it is providedY with a portion or shoulder A; which, when the arm 7 engages the element 8 to withdraw the bolt, will be in juxtaposition with a portion of the arm 7, likewise marked by the letter A at the end of one side of the same. The extremity ot' the 'v the opposite ends thereof; and bctf arm 7 is rounded, and normally the element 3, which is movable with respect to the bolt 2, will be kept out oi position to be engaged by this arm by certain movable parts to be described presently; on the bolt 2. rllhe parts in question are adjustable and movable independently, and they must be actuated into position to release the element S, and permit it to move toward the shaft 6 far enough for the arm 7 to strike against it and move the bolt backward. The shaft 6 is turned by means ot a knob 9 which of course will be on the outside of the door; and the shaft projects through the same, and the plate 1 mounted thereon; and the arm 7 carried by the shaft G 'will be located so that the plate 1 is between it and the knob; and beyond the arm 7 this shat't will be engaged by a bracket 19 in the lorm of a bent strip secured to the plate at one end and providing a bearing for the shaft at the other. To advance the bolt into eiiective position, we employ a spring 11; which is seated in a. socket on the plate 1, and abuts against the rear end of the bolt; acting to project it, so that its beveled end will eX- tend far enough past the plate 1 to enable it to enter the striker-plate by which the lock holds the door shut.

As shown in'Fig. 3, the bolt 2 has a pair of arms 12 extending rearward therefrom at the top and bottom. Parallel to each of these arms 12, and in proximity thereto, is a rigid spindle 13; atxed to the bolt and designed to carry the movable parts by which the position or" the element 8 is con trolled. The parts referred to comprise disks 14;; two of these disks being shown carried by each journal 13 and l cated at en the two disks en each oi these journals are two gears 15. The disks 1e are cup-shaped, making their outside surfaces cylindrical, and are open at one end and closed at the other. Likewise the gears 15 are cupshaped, being open at one end and closed at the other, but with bosses or hubs proj ecting from their closed ends and providing bearings which engage the journals 13; these bosses or bearings of gears 15, as shown in Fig. 3, extending through apertures in the closed ends oit the disks 14 far enough to abut heads 16, which are pinned to the journals 13. These heads close the open ends of the disks 1li, and inside olt these disks are spiral springs 17 which hold the disks let and gears 15 in Contact with each other. These springs 17 are merely compression springs, and are designed to permit the disks 1e to be rotated in order to adjust them and to enable the relative positions of these disks to be changed whenever it is desired to alter the combination or movements necessary to withdraw the bolt inside the gears 15 we also place spiral springs 13, attlned to the gears at one end and the journal at the other. rllhese springs 13 permit the gears to be rotated to a predetermined degree; but when the gears are released, the springs act to return them to their original positions. Between each two gears on the journals 13, is a head 19 which enters the open ends of these gears and carries a pin 20. From the adjacent sides of each gear, projects a small stud 21; and the springs 18; when they are mounted in the gears 15, are put under suiiicient tension to hold the studs 21 against the pins 20; and to move the gears and separate the studs 21 from the pins 29, suticient force must be applied to these gears te overcome the springs 18 for the time being. Similar studs 22 project from the closed ends oi" the disks 14 and enter the spaces between two adjacent teeth on the gears 15; thereby holding each disk 11 and the adjacent gear 15 rigid with each other. To change the relation of the disk with the gears, one merely moves the d Y s along the journal 13 with his fingers, tar enough to disengae'e the studs 22, pressing the springs 17 i'or this purpose, and then turns the disks far enough to enable 'the studs to enter the space between any other pair ot' teeth on the gears 15. 1n this way, as soon as the disks are released, the springs 17 force the disks` back into engagement with the gears, and when the gears are turned the disks must again turn with them.

To rotate the gears, we make the knob hollow and provide it with a member 23 which is nounted to reciprocate in the knob; and which projects from the Jront of same, so that, one turning the knob, upon taking hold ot it with his hand, can press the member 23 inward with his thumb. This member comprises a stem 21 which projects into the shaft 6 the latter being hollow, as indicated in Fig. 5. The inner end oit' this stein has a linger 25 which projects through a slot 26 in the shaft, into position to strike against the teeth of the gears 15; and a spring 27 in the knob 9 engaging the head ot the member 23 where the stem is attached to this head; and a shoulder in the knob acts to hold the member 23 with the finger 25 at the rear end of the slot 26; giving` it suticient space to clear the gears when one does not desire to rotate them. @u the shaft between the plate 1 and the. bracket 1G; a notched disk 28 shown in Fig. 2; the disk being engaged by a pointed pawl 29 mounted in a guide 30 and forced toward the disk by a suitable spring. TW hen this disk is inA the position shown in Fig. 2; the finger 25 is in line with the lower gear at-the right, as shown in Fig. 1. By turning the knob to make the pawl 29 engage the nearest notch, iinger 25 will be brought into lineto engage the lower disk at the lett; then by turning the knob to rotate the disk farther (clockwise with respect to Fig. 2), the tinger can be brought into position to engage successively the upper' gear at the left and the upper gear at the right; these positions being indicated to the operator in each case by the click of the pawl as it enters the recesses in the disk 2S. Of course the knob may have a suitable mark or indication thereon, and the outside of the door may have a similar indication; and by bringingl the two indications into line with each other, the operator will know that he has the finger 25 in position for the first gear 15. Then after turning the first gear, he turns the knob in the proper direction to operate the other three gears by turns, the right position being given by the click of the pawl against the disk 28 in each instance.

The element 8 is mounted to rotate upon a shaft or pivot 31, shown in Fig. 4.; the edge opposite this pivot or shaft 31 being free to move up and down as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 and by the broken lines in Fig. 11. On the upper face or' the element 8 is a pair or' fixed projections 32 in Vline with the two lower disks 14, and arranged to enter a notch or recess 33 in the face of same. lVhen the gears are turned to rotate these disks to bring the notches 33 opposite the points or projections 32, the element 8 is in readiness to move upward so asto move the part A far enough toward the shaft 6 to enable the part A on the arm 7 to strike against it and move the bolt 2 backward. This element also works in co operation with similar parts rigidly secured to a spindle 34 mounted in bearings at the side of the upper arm 12; the parts in question being in the'forni of arms 35, likewise having projections 32 in line with the two upper disks, and designed to enter similar recesses 33 in the cylindrical faces of same. One end or this spindle 34 will have a crank 3bV connected by a link 37 to a pin 38 rigidly attached to the element 8; and a spring 39 on the bolt 2 secured to this bolt at one end and to the link 37 at the other, tends to actuate this link so as to lift the element S and depress the arms 35 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 8i) On the spindle 34, between the rigid arms 35, we also mount a pair of pawls 40 having their ends in position to engage the teeth 15.

These pawls are rotatably mounted on the spindle 34 but are normally forced downward toward the gears 15 by the springs 41; these springs being made rigid to the spindle 34 at one end, and being bent across the tops of the pawls at the other. To prevent the springs from forcing the pawls downward too far, the arms 35 may be connected by a member 42 on which the pawls 40 rest. Similar pawls 43 are pivotally secured to the element 3 in position to engage the teeth of the lower gears 15, and they are pressed upward by springs 44 abutting these pawls at one end and the lower arm 12 of the bolt 2 at the other. Stops 45 prevent the lsprings 44 from moving the pawls upward too far, and the parts of these pawls which project above the top or' the element 8, adjacent the points 32 enter the spaces between the gear teeth. These pawls permit the two gears at the top of Fig. 1, to be turned by the finger 26 on the member 23, in such a direction that the halves presented to the observer in Figs. 1 and 2, move upward; and the two lowerl gears to be moved by the finger 26 that the halves presented to the observer move downward; and the four pawls act to hold these gears against the return movement until the pawls release them when the arm 7 presses the element 8 downward., whereby the lower pawls are depressed and the upper ones lifted to clear the four gears.

To operate the lock when the door is closed, and when the projections 32 of the element 8 and the parts 35 are out of registry with the recesses 33 in the disks 14, the element S will be held down so far that the part A of the arm will clear the part A of this element S; andv if the knob be turned, under .these conditions, so as` to move the arm 7 clockwise with reference to Fig. 1, the rounded extremity of this arm may make contact with the element 8 but will not withdraw the bolt 2. To undo the lock, one must press the member 23 to work the gears 15, and thereby carry the disks 14 so that the recesses 33 come into registry with the projections 32 on the element 8, and the parts Then the spring 39 willactuate the element 3 and the parts 35 to cause the projections 32 to enter the recesses 33. Upon releasing the member 23, the knob can now be turned and the arm 7 will strike against the element 8 and pull the bolt 2 back out ot effective position.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and more fully in Fig. 7, the cylindrical faces of the disks 14 will be marke-d from 0 to 9, the recesses 33 being located about ywhere the numeral 3 would be placed; andthe stud 22 being located opposite O. When a disk is turned so that, with the stud 22 engaging the adjacent gear 15, the 0 mark is in central position as shown in the case of the upper disk at the right in Fig. 1, and the lower disk at the left in Fig. 3; the recesses 33 on the disks will be in line with the adjacent projections 32; but of course, the projections cannot enter the recesses on these two disks unless the other projections 32 are in line with the recesses on the other two disks. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the upper lei't disk Vis in such position that the numeral 1 is about in the same horizontal plane as the. axis of the upper journal 13, and so is the lower disk at the right; hence these two disks must be actuated by turning the adjacent gears a distance of one tooth to bring the notches 33 in these two disks, into registry with the adjacent projections 32; when, since the notches on the other two disks are already in line with the adjacent projections, the four projections can thcn enter the tour recesses in the disks simultaneously. Hence, with the parts in the position just outlined, the combination is 1010; that is to say, if one starts with the lower disk at the right, he mus turn the adjacent gear one tooth, the lower gear at the left, not at all; the upper gear at the left, one tooth; and the upper gear at the right, no teeth; in order to have the proper combination. This combination can of course be changed by adjusting the disks 11i independently; and the number ot teeth which must successively be engaged by the finger 25 in each gear 15, will then be indicated by the number on the cylindrical face of the disk which is in middle position. To manipulate the disks 14: to adjust them, one can remove the bolt at will. from the plate 1.

TWhenever any one of the disks has the 0 mark in central position and engages the adjacent gear in such a manner that, with the stud 22 between two teeth on said gear, the spring 18 therein is free to hold the stud 21 on the gear against the pin 20, the three teeth which are located on the lower quarter presented to the observer, ot each of the up- -per gears in Figs. 1 and 3, and the three teeth which are located on the upper quarter of the two lower gears presented to the observer on the same two views, are cut away for Afully half of their lengths. rlhe total number of teeth is twelve, and the total number of complete teeth is nine; hence the finger 25 cannot in any case engage more than nine teeth in succession; because arter engaging nine complete teeth this linger will have reached the space over which the three remaining shortened teeth do not extend; hence it cannot turn the gears farther, and thus breaking ot the springs 18 by subjecting them to too much tension will be prevented. lVhen a gear must be turned by pressing the finger 25 against nine teeth in succession to bring the notch 33 in the face of the adjacent disk opposite the adjacent point or projection 32, the associated gear can be turned to the extent required but no farther. lVhen each of the disks is in 0 position the stud 22 thereon will engage the lirst of these cut-away teeth, beginning at the middle and extending downward with the upper gears, and at the middle and eX- tending upward with the two lower lifter the proper combination ot movements has been given to the disks 11i to enable the projections 32 to enter the recesses 33 therein, so that the arin 7 can move the bolt 2 hack, one can reset the disks so as to hold the element S out of position to be engaged by the arm 7, by turning the arm 7 in the opposite direction, in Fig. 1, that is counter-clockwise. Such a movement will force the element 8 downward, disenthe points 3 t-.iereon from the lower disks and lirting the points 32 on the parts 35 Jfrom the upper disks; the springs 18 then acting to return the gears and the disks to starting positions. TWhen a person enters a room or apartment provided with Our lock, he opens it as above described, by pressing upon the member 23 and turning the knob 9; and after going through the door he can close the door; resetting the combiat once betere closing the door, or closing the door without resetting the combination. ln either ease he can open the door again from the inside by means of a cani device -tG rotatably mounted in plate 1 on that race or the same which is presented to the inside or the door, or apartment which is entered through the door. Of course whether the combination is reset or not, the door can be closed by simply pushing` it shut, the beveled end of the bolt enablifg the striker-plate to force it back against the spring 11 and the spring 11 moving the bolt into engagement with the striker-plate afterward. The device 6 is mounted upon a rotatable shaft 47 which may have a polygonal socket 4S to receive the stem of a knob, for instance, to turn this device; and this device may have a projection 4-9 to enter a recess 50 at the bottom or" 'the bolt. Therefore, when the device 416 is turned as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2, the point i9 withdraws the latch 2.

To hold the bolt shut, we provide a reciprocating stop 51 mounted in a bearing 52 on one oit the projections 3 and engaged by a spring 53 which forces it to project 'far enough into the path of the element S, as indicated in Fig. 1. When the element 8 moves upward as 'far as it will go, upon the projections entering; the notches 33 of adjacent disks 14:, the element 8 will clear this stop 51; but otherwise the element 8 will not clear this stop when the latter is lifted by the spring 53 and thus the bolt 2 will be held in effec-tive position and the door l .it closed until some one manipulates the knob 'from without in the proper manner, and the element 8 is permitted to rise high enough to be engaged as descibed by the arm ,'.7 to clear the stop 51. l'n such a case, the door can be opened iiron'i without, by some one knowing the combination, but the lock cannot be 'ftrccd open by a tool; and at the saine time any one inside the door or 'apartment to which the door leads, can withdraw the bolt 2 at will by turning the device this purpose, the device 46 in question, has a portion 5d which pro jects from one end toward the observer in Figs. 1 and 2; and the lower end of the stop will have a lug 55 extending into the path of this cam projection 5i. Hence, by'turning the device a6 the stop 52 will bedepressed and the bolt can be opened from the inside of the apartment regardless of the position of the element 8.

`We also provide. a cam piece 56 mounted on the block ,3 adjacent the bearing 52 for putting` stop 51 out of operative position when desired. This cam piece 56 is mounted on a pivot screw 57, and has an inclined edge 5S and a pin or knob 59 on one side of the pivot screw 5T. The opposite end of the cam piece 56 engages a lug 60 on stop 51 opposite the lug 55, and when the cam piece 56 is moved by forcing the pin 59 upward the stop 51 is retracted. When the cam piece and the stop 51 are in the positions just referred to, the edge 58 will project into the path of the rear end of the lower arm 12 of the bolt 2; hence if the stop 51 be retracted, whenever the door is slammed shut the cam piece 56 is forced to release stop 5l; whereby whenever any one has opened the door and reset the disks 14 by turning back the arm 7 to make it necessary for them to receive the proper combination of movements to withdraw the bolt 2, the next person going out of the door and closing it, will be sure to shut it behind him with the stop 51 projecting' upward far enough to prevent the door from being reopened eXcept by working the combination from without. But any one on the inside of the door can open it at once by turning the device 16 which will shoot back the bolt 2 and depress the stop 51, as stated. rEhe extremity of the cam piece 56 adjacent the pin 59, can be engaged by a suitable bent resilient strip 62 which enters a notch in the cam piece and holds it in either upper or lower position. A stud 61 limits the downward movement of the right end of the piece 56.

A. pivoted catch 63 is mounted on the other block 3, and is engaged by a bent spring 6a to force it far enough to engage the front end of the element 8 when this element is in the lowermost position. This catch 63 can be depressed to permit .the bolt to be withdrawn but a stop-pin 65 holds it. against upward movement beyond a certain point; and when the projections 32 all engage the recesses 33 in the disks 14C, theelement S will clear the stop 63 and the bolt can then be withdrawn to adjust disks 14 without depressing the stop 65.

The catch 63 thus serves for arresting the forward movement of the bolt toward projecting or operative position; but when the element 6 clears this catch the bolt can be the lock to enable one to adjust the disks 1%-, and thus change the combination whenever he so desires. P

While four disks 1li maybe utilized, the lock will work with two or three; the pawls 40 and the parts or elements 35 being omitted when only two are used.

Having described our invention,'what we believe to be new and desire to secure'and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1.` ln a lock, the combination of a bolt, aV plurality of independently adjustable movable parts mounted on said bolt; a member for actuating the bolt to retracted position, an element carried by said bolt and controlled by said parts to be permitted to move into position to be engaged by said member, and means projecting into the path of said element to arrest the bolt when the same moves into operative position, said element clearing said means when it is permitted by said parts to move into position to be engaged by said member, whereby said bolt can be manually removed from the remainder of the lock to enable said parts to be adjusted.

2. In a lock, the combination of a bolt, a knob having a shaft carrying a fixed arm for withdrawing said bolt; a reciprocating member mounted in said knob and said shaft, a plurality of rotatable gears. mounted upon the bolt to be actuated by said reciprocating member; a disk adjustably connected with each of said gears, to be turned by same, said disks having notches therein; and elements disposed upon the bolt to be permitted to move by the notches in the disks into position to be enoaged by the arm on the shaft of said kno whereby said bolt can be caused by said arm to withdraw from eective position.

3. In a lock,the combination of a bolt, a plurality of independently adjustable and movable parts mounted on said bolt; a member for withdrawing said bolt, and an element carried by the bolt and controlled by said parts to be engaged by said member; said bolt, when said element is permitted by said parts to be engaged by said member, beiliig removable from the remainder of the loc 1. 1n a lock, the combination of a bolt, a movable element carried thereby, a knob having a shaft carrying a rigid arm to engage said element and withdraw the bolt from effective position, a plurality of rotatable gears mounted on the bolt, a reciprocable member in the knob and shaft to turn said gears; a disk having a notch adjustably connected with each of said gears, said notches permitting said element to move into position to be engaged by the arm, a stop, a spring to project the stop into position to engage the element when the bolt is in effective position, and said element is out of position to be engaged by said 2mn; a Cain' piece to retract said stop, said Cain piece being operable from one eide of said look and being engaged by the bolt when the latter is forced out of eiective position to release the stop, Wliei'eby when the bolt moves into eeotive position tbe stop may prevent the Withdrawal of the bolt; and e device operable from one side of the look to retract the stop and Withdraw the bolt. l0 ln testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification this 14th dey of March, 1919.

CARLO DALBON.

ANNIBALE GASPERETTI.

RAIMONDO ALBANESE.' 

